Box Full of Crayons
by JanuaryFriend
Summary: Childhood is a short season. A collection of various character drabbles set during that precious time. Chapter 37: Naruto vs. Sasuke. Chapter 38: Sai.
1. Sharing: Chouji

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: Here it is, a drabble collection about the children of _Naruto_. Just something else I didn't need to work on, but my mind is in overdrive right now. Thoughts will be greatly appreciated, since I will be writing about characters I don't normally._

_Oh, and credit for the quote listed in the summary goes to actress Helen Hayes._

**Sharing**

The front door rattles shut and Mrs. Akimichi turns around-- away from the stew she'd been stirring-- just in time to see her young son enter the kitchen. She smiles, chubby cheeks dimpling, and asks, "How was your first day at school, Chouji?"

"Fine," Chouji murmurs, sounding down. He pulls open a bag of potato chips, but Mrs. Akimichi does not scold him. It would be impossible for the boy to ruin his appetite.

Mrs. Akimichi is not dissuaded by his attitude. "What did you learn about?"

"Sharing," Chouji answers, staring into the bag and looking for the biggest chips.

"Oh, that's nice. And what did you learn about sharing?"

Chouji looks his mother straight in the eye and speaks around a mouthful. "When you share, you don't get as much."


	2. Memory: Shikamaru

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: I don't know who the game _Memory_ belongs to, and I am too lazy to look it up. Just know that it is not me._

**Memory**

Shikaku Nara was lounging in his recliner, enjoying his day off, when his young son toddled over to him, holding a boxed game aloft. Reading the name on the lid, he groans and prepares to wave the child away, but a loud cough in the next room, courtesy of his wife Yoshino, warns him that he had better not. "Since you've been so good today, we'll play."

The contents of the box are dumped upon the floor, and hastily mixed. When the tiny picture cards are shuffled to Shikaku's standards, he flips them face down and begins laying them out in orderly lines. Then he gestures to the waiting Shikamaru. "After you."

The child shakes his head-- he hates going first-- and Shikaku mumbles something about the whole thing being troublesome. He flips over one card on the top right, this one a bluebird, and then another from the bottom row. This one proves to be an old shoe-- not a match-- so he flips them both back over and waits.

Shikamaru goes then, focused and frowning, and turning over two cards in the center. Both are shiny red apples, and he removes them from the group, stacking them together over to the side. His first pair!

Shikaku just sighs. Wait until he tells his friends his two year old beat him at _Memory_ again.


	3. Haircut: Itachi and Sasuke

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: Um, don't ask._

**Haircut**

Everyone had always said that Itachi was a good brother, and it was true. He was never jealous, and he was always considerate of the younger child's feelings, always looking out for Sasuke. Perhaps most important of all, the prodigy was careful never to hurt him.

But that did not mean that some of their Uchiha cousins were as gentle. They often took advantage of the little boy, played just a little too rough. During one such incident, chewing gum had ended up in the two year old's ebony locks.

Because Itachi was such a good brother, he had very calmly taken a sharp kunai and cut all the pink stickiness out, leaving young Sasuke with a very interesting-- and in the back, very short and spiky-- new hairdo.

Their parents, Fugaku and Mikoto, were less than pleased by the fresh style, but when they suggested Sasuke go see the village barber and have the monstrosity fixed, the child had set up a wail so loud that it could be heard all the way to Hokage Tower. He loved his hair, and his big brother!

In the end, they let him keep it.


	4. Taboo: Hana and Kiba

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: Borderline crack here. But I thought it was funny._

**Taboo**

Being a single mother was hard; no one knew that better than Tsume Inuzuka.

With her first child, she was able to get some time off, learn how to care for the pu-- err, baby properly. The second, unfortunately, was born during a conflict with the Land of Lightning, and Tsume was not allowed to spend extra time on maternity leave. With no one to turn to for aid, she was forced to leave her children in the care of her ninja dog, Kuromaru's, pack.

Not that it was all bad. The kids had a great time, being babysat by canines. The dogs were ever watchful, excellent guardians, and there were always plenty of fat young puppies for the children to play with. Perhaps most important for the future ninja, the pack's hierarchy was strictly enforced, and the Inuzuka siblings learned from an early age the importance of obeying orders.

Of course, Hana did develop and unhealthy interest in dog food-- thank the gods the stuff was mostly protein-- and young Kiba spent his earliest years of toilet training lifting his leg.

But that was nothing that a solid whack with a rolled up newspaper wouldn't fix.


	5. Doll: Ino

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: A better title for this would have been _Barbie Girl_, but I'm trying to keep them all one word. Plus, I didn't want to have to credit _Mattel_. Though I guess I just did._

**Doll**

The bell on the front door downstairs tinkled loudly, and Ino Yamanaka slid-- on her bottom-- carefully down the long flight of steps to the family florist shop. Normally, when she entered the room the little girl would take the time to smell the bunches of brightly colored flora, but not today.

Today was her third birthday! Earlier, her mother had shoved her into the most beautiful violet dress and her father, Inoichi Yamanaka, had gone out to get her present from wherever he had hidden it days ago. And now he was back!

Ino meets him at the checkout counter, dancing excitedly. Inoichi smiles tenderly and congratulates her, and then he places into her tiny hand the most wonderful present ever: a long blonde haired, blue eyed, but perfectly proportioned doll.

Ino stares longingly at this epitome of womanhood and makes herself a solemn promise. Some day, she shall be just like this toy, and no one will be able to resist her charms.


	6. Fairytale: Tsunade

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: I like this one, and I am not sure why. Thoughts?_

**Fairytale**

When Tsunade was born, they called her a princess. A little princess, the granddaughter of the beloved First Hokage, the grandniece of the kind Second, the talented student of the genius Third. In short, the closest thing the young Village Hidden in the Leaves had to royalty.

Like all little girls, this princess loved fairytales. Her favorites, of course, were the ones where the princess was strong enough to take care of herself, was a heroine in every sense of the word. And she loved how, in the end, the princess always got just what she had wanted, and there was a happy, sometimes romantic, ending.

Always.

But when she is ten years old, the village princess ends up being placed upon a ninja squad with a rather stupid, annoying, perverted, little _frog boy_. He wastes no time in asking her for a kiss-- and perhaps a small peek?-- claiming that he can be her magically transformed prince. Tsunade wastes no time in punching him in the face.

Hard.

And that is the end of that fairytale romance.


	7. Reprisal: Orochimaru

_Naruto _© Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: This is a slightly longer, darker one, but I thought it was appropriate._

**Reprisal**

School had been cancelled for the day, all classes suspended, the target ranges closed down. Bored, Orochimaru had returned to the orphanage and, not deigning to hang with the other kids in the front yard, gone into his shared room.

Slumping to the floor beside his bed, the movement of something on the wooden floorboards underneath had caught his black eyes. Curious, he reached out and grabbed the small thing, pulling it out and holding it up to the light: one tiny, frightened spider.

Orochimaru wanted to study it, to look it over and see how everything worked. Where did the webs come from? How many eyes did it have? But the scared creature reacts badly, sinking microscopic fangs into his milk white skin, and injecting its burning venom.

With a hiss, the five year old tosses the arachnid back to the floor, and glances at his hand. A large red bump is forming, and the pain makes him forget any previous thoughts about gentle exploration. He lifts the dazed spider from the floor again, and this time peels its legs from its body, one by one.

When he is finished, there is nothing left but a dying-- or perhaps dead-- quivering, twitching little ball and the child finds his thirst for vengeance sated.

Downstairs, one of the caregivers announces lunch, and the hungry Orochimaru hurtles to his feet, running quickly from the room. The forgotten, unfortunate spider is crushed under his heal with the first step.


	8. Awe: Konohamaru

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: I never really think of Konohamaru as an interesting character, but this is what popped into my mind, so here it is..._

**Awe**

"Grandpa, look at my new toy!" The three year old Konohamaru comes running into the sunny room. He laughs loudly, voice high pitched, and proudly holds up his newest acquisition: a large, bright yellow spinning top. The trinket is plastic and cheaply made, but the child's happiness is infectious.

Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, laughs heartily and heaves his young grandson into his lap. The youngster struggles for a moment, too excited to sit still, then finally he settles. "That's a very nice top, Konohamaru. Did your mother get it for you?"

The child shakes his brown head, then looks up at his grandfather and smiles. "No, I got it from a nice store person while we were out… He gave it to me free, 'cause I'm your grandson."

"Well, that was very nice of the shopkeeper. Did you remember to thank him or her?"

The little boy nods, too engrossed with his toy for further comment. He fiddles with it, turning it this way and that and observing a reflection play across the surface.

Sarutobi reaches out and touches the tip of the conical base, remembering the old days. "When I was little, our tops were heavy and made of wood."

Konohamaru bolts upright so fast that Sarutobi nearly drops him. His little eyes are wide with shock, mouth hanging open in innocent amazement. "Grandpa, how can you remember all that long ago?"


	9. Phobia: Hinata

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: I was asked for a drabble about Hinata, and for lack of more inspiration, this is what came of it._

**Phobia**

_Crash!_

Two year old Hinata opens her pearl white eyes to find her large, lonely room lit by a blinding flare of lightning. For a moment, strange and frightening shadows drift across her walls, and then the place fades back into creepy darkness.

_Crash!_

Her small scream, the call of a scared child for her parents, is lost in the roar of thunder that follows the strike. No one hears her, no one will be coming to hold her close and tell her that everything is all right, that storms cannot hurt you when you are safe inside the house--

The room lights up again, and she instinctively throws her thick coverlet over her silky head and burrows down to hide. Perhaps, if the storm cannot see her, it will go away… "Please, please, please," she whispers, too young to truly know any better.

_Crash!_

The terrible thunderstorm does not heed her desperate plea, and Hinata cries out once more. Still, there is no answer, and she begins to sob quietly.

The door slides open, and a voice whispers, "Hinata?"

Timidly, she peeks from under the blankets, and her young heart soars. Standing there is her older cousin Neji, and he will make everything all right.

He always does.


	10. Change: Hiashi and Hizashi

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: I love the twins, but their lives are pretty depressing. _

**Change**

Hiashi and Hizashi stand facing one another, and as twins they look for all the world like the reflection of a mirror, the same save for the green curse mark that newly adorns Hizashi's forehead. Not that such things really matter to them, for they are brothers and young, and today they are playing one of their favorite games.

"You can go first," Hiashi teasingly tells his younger brother, holding his small hands out in front of him, palms up and ready for the great battle of reflexes. "You always miss."

Hizashi grins and places his hand palms down over his brother's, so close that he can feel the warmth radiating from them. He holds them there for a few heartbeats, staring steadily into his older brother's eyes, and then quickly slaps the hands downward at the same time Hiashi pulls his away.

The smack echoes loudly in the empty hall, and Hizashi has one brief moment of exaltation. He has done it, finally beaten his big brother! "I won! Take that, Hiashi!"

And then the door slides open, and their stern father is standing there, having overseen the whole thing with his all seeing white eyes. And the twins can tell that while status matters little to them, Hizashi is now guilty of striking a Main House member, and nothing shall ever be the same.


	11. Profession: Sakura

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: This one has been in my mind a while, and I figured I would get it out of the way._

**Profession**

When Sakura Haruno was born, her grandparents gave her a book; nothing special, just one of those sturdy plastic picture books that could be thrown, smashed or drooled upon and still hold together. At first, that was all she did with it, but by the time she was a year old her parents-- slaves to her very existence-- were reading it to her every day.

Although she could not yet recognize words, Sakura could recite the story perfectly from memory alone by the tender age of two. She even flipped the pages at just the right time.

By the time she was three, Sakura had learned to read for herself, and graduated to other, more advanced books. She was a regular bibliophile, often seen carrying stacks of tomes around that were taller than herself.

She lost her first tooth at the age of five, and her parents told her to put it under her pillow for the tooth fairy. Very calmly, Sakura had informed them that the tooth fairy was a fictional creation-- she had read it, after all.

And her stunned parents began to wonder: Did her future lie in novel writing, or would she be a librarian?


	12. Flight: Tenten

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

**Flight**

Up and down. Up and down.

Tenten grits her teeth and leans way back, arching her small legs up above her head, pointing her toes up into the blue and cloudless sky. She reaches the apex of her swing, hangs weightless for a moment, and then she drops back toward the earth, incredibly fast.

The wind whistles past her, blowing her hair and stealing the laughter from her throat. As she drops, her tiny body is flung forward, and she clings to the rusty metal chains to keep from falling. Legs curl instinctively up under the cracked leather of the seat, and even at the lowest point of the swing there is a great distance between them and the ground.

At just the right moment, she kicks them quickly forward, and up she goes again. And then down.

And then she does it again. And again. And again, all the while gaining precious-- and necessary-- altitude.

Finally, she goes so high and so fast that the world turns into a blur of light blue sky and green Spring grass, unrecognizable even with the adrenaline flooding her youthful system. Tenten works up all her courage, and lets go.

It is like flying, and it is the first time she ever breaks a bone.


	13. Monster: Gaara

_Naruto _© Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: A little bit of introspective horror in belated honor of Halloween._

**Monster**

Gaara hates sundown, loathes it more than anything else. He hates the moment when his Special Ops guards come for him, hates when they force him into his lonely little room and lock the door behind him. He hates that they call it "bedtime" when they know very well that he finds himself unable to sleep. And he hates when the light goes off, leaving him with the thing that he hates the most: the dark.

Unlike most three year olds, Gaara is not frightened of the dark. His pale blue eyes easily-- strangely-- pierce the inky blackness, letting him see where most would be blind. He knows that the dark does not hold anything that is not there during the day, and even at his young age he is used to the feelings of solitude and boredom that take hold.

No, Gaara is not scared of the dark, but he hates it just the same. It is in darkness, when his troubled mind and tired tiny body finds themselves falling toward slumber, that _something _stirs inside of him. And that is what little Gaara is truly afraid of-- the unknown monster from within.


	14. Malice: Neji

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: I love Neji, but he is a jerk. Thoughts?_

**Malice**

At nearly five years old, Neji considers himself infinitely smarter than his little three year old cousin Hinata. So it is no trouble at all to walk up to the girl one spring morning and pretend that his father is not dead, that they are still friends. It is all too easy to lure the dumb child away from the house.

Neji takes her to the largest tree on the family parkland, an old oak that some of his relatives had nailed scrap wood to in order to form a rough ladder and platform. He climbs carefully up and entices her after him, even helping her with the last rung. Then, when she is least expecting it, he scrambles back down, stranding her there.

Hinata is too scared to make the descent, and to Neji's eternal delight she bursts into tears. "Brother Neji! Help me! Please!"

"It's okay, Hinata," Neji lies smoothly, his high child's voice even. He holds out his arms reassuringly. "Just jump. I promise I'll catch you."

It is a testament to the girl's gullibility that she believes him, when a fool could see that he would be unable to catch her, even if he actually wished to; Girls grow faster than boys, after all, and she is nearly as big as he is! At the last moment, he moves out of the way, and she hits the dusty ground hard, twisting her small ankle.

Neji leaves her in the dirt.


	15. Chore: Shino

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: Back to humor here. Thanks for the reviews!_

**Chore**

"Shino, this is a very big responsibility. You understand that, do you not?"

The small child lifts his large eyes to his father's bespectacled face and inclines his dark head solemnly.

Shibi Aburame's voice is gruff with disuse, but he makes the attempt to sound kind to his only son. "We cannot hand this duty over to just any individual. We need someone who is thorough, determined, and conscientious."

Three year old Shino does not yet know what any of those big words mean, but he makes an educated guess. "You want someone grown up, Father?"

Behind the high collar of his shirt, Shibi gives the smallest of smiles. "That is correct."

Shino wants to tell his parent that he is grown up enough for the task. He can write his full name, and count to fifty! And he never has accidents in the bed, like some of his other cousins! As far as he is concerned, he is practically an old man!

"You can look after the family ant farm next year."

Shino does his best not to pout.


	16. Habit: Jiraiya

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

**Habit**

The clock out in the hall chimes eight, and four year old Jiraiya rolls over and squeezes his dark eyes tightly shut in an attempt to look like an innocent sleeper. He tries to keep his small face blank, does his best to breathe slowly and evenly. It must work, because the babysitter soon quits reading his bedtime story, and begins to file her nails.

The bedroom door slides open, and he peeks just in time to see his mother come staggering in from her soiree. She has obviously been drinking; her eyes are unfocused and her hair is disheveled, but it makes it very easy for him to fake sleeping with a resounding snore. "How was he?" she asks, slightly slurring her words.

"Fine," comes the babysitter's reply. The teen is seated somewhere behind him. "He was as good as gold, except…"

"Except what?"

"Well, when I took him down to the bathhouse, they let him go into the women's hot spring with me. They thought he was my son, and it was kind of cute. But then we went inside, and he kept staring…"

"Staring? At what?"

Jiraiya pulls the blanket up to hide his smile. Oh, the memories!

"At everyone's breasts! It was horrible!"

His mother is silent for a very long moment, apparently deep in thought. Then she gives a loud hiccup and admits, "I'm afraid that's my fault. I knew I breastfed him too long."


	17. Dinner: Naruto

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: I don't know about this one… Thoughts?_

**Dinner**

"I don't like that."

The firm statement comes courtesy of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed little boy the new Anbu recruit had been recently assigned to guard. The one who had toddled onto a nearby chair in order to peer into the humming microwave. The one that people said bad things about.

"Too bad. It's all that's in your cupboard."

The child makes a face, wrinkling his small nose and causing those strange whiskers to dance. "I don't like it, and I won't eat it. So there."

The microwave dings and shuts off, and the Anbu guard pops the door open and removes the steaming cup. Against the little boy's protests, he reaches over and dumps the contents into the kid's favorite bowl, the green one shaped like a frog. "Dinner is served."

"No."

The guard sighs and lays the bowl on the nearby kitchen table. "Fine then, don't eat it. But I'm not making anything else." He walks out of the room without a backward glance.

The child-- Naruto Uzumaki-- waits a whole five minutes before hunger gets the best of him. Then he downs the still warm noodles, and is presently surprised.

Ramen is his new favorite food.


	18. Moniker: Udon

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: This is an odd one. But I like it._

**Moniker**

Udon was not his real name. Of course it was not. His honored parents were both brilliant professors, after all, and they never would have given him such a eccentric title. In truth, he had been named after both an eminent mathematician and scholarly paternal grandfather, and his genius parents had hoped that he would one day prove every bit as distinguished.

But distinction-- at least of a grand, positive sort--is difficult to come by when you are only five years old and starting school with an autonomic imbalance. It is challenging for the masses to remember your true name when mucus is freely flowing from your proboscis-- not your fault, by the way-- and the grandson of the Hokage mentions that it looks like a Noodle.

Still, the name is better than Moegi's idea. Who, after all, would want to be called Bungee-Booger?


	19. Bond: Gai

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: Lack of inspiration on this one… Sorry._

**Bond**

Gai is eight years old when he rescues the lone, unguarded little hatchling, snatches it from the dagger-like beak of the great white crane. Holding the small creature in his palm, he feels every bit the grand hero. Just wait until he tells that upstart Kakashi about this magnificent adventure! He _shall_ be a great ninja!

The animal's head pops out of its shell, and it fixes one beady black eye upon the genin. "In exchange for saving me, perhaps you'd like to make a blood pact with my clan? My father happens to be the leader of us ninja tortoises."

When Gai finishes his shocked screaming, he takes the time to think it over. The Sanin each have a unique summoning creature, and the current Hokage has one as well-- a giant monkey. Even Kakashi has his dogs. So why should he not accept, even if it is just a small turtle?

It is the start of a beautiful friendship.


	20. Guilt: Temari

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: Ah, sibling love._

**Guilt**

Holding the steel-edged fan out in front of her, feeling its weight strain her small wrists, Temari whirls around in a great circle. The air rushes over the covered blades with a sound like that of a sandstorm, and the four year old smiles. Someday she shall be strong like her Kazekage father!

A tiny, smiling face appears in front of her swinging fan, and she manages to stop its momentum just in time. "Kankuro! You're in the way!"

Her baby brother looks up at her with his dark eyes, blissfully unaware of the danger he was in. At three, he is too young to use weapons, even by the lax standards of the Sand Village. He holds out his newest toy, a wooden puppet. "Play with me!"

Temari angrily swings her fan and knocks the marionette from her brother's little hands. It disappears, clattering loudly down a nearby stairwell, the echoing sounds in strange contrast to Kankuro's muffled sobs.

Immediately, remorse swamps the young girl. "You're such a baby," Temari mutters, but she reaches out and takes Kankuro's chubby hand in her own.

They go after his puppet together.


	21. Muse: Lee

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: Just trying to get back into the swing of things._

**Muse**

Rock Lee's first day at school is quite possibly the worst experience of his life.

He arrives much too early and has to wait outside for the teachers to show up. When it is time to take the entrance exam, he barely passes, and said educators are not impressed. The other students are even worse, calling him names like "ugly" and "failure." He does his best to ignore them, believing in his dream.

Someday, he shall be a splendid ninja!

When lunchtime rolls around, he heads outside with the other children, only to realize that he has left his _bento_ at home. His exasperated teacher forbids him to leave and get it, and none of his fellow students offer to share. He spends the rest of the day struggling to concentrate, his stomach grumbling loudly. The assigned homework is beyond his comprehension, and he flees the school in a state of despair as soon as the class is dismissed.

Forget his dream! Tearfully, he decides to give it all up.

On the way home though, an older rookie ninja dressed all in green calls out an elaborate greeting and congratulations him on beginning his "youthful path to ninja-hood."

It makes all the difference.


	22. Hope: Anko

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: I don't know a lot about Anko, but this is set during the time when she had just received the Curse Mark. A little dark._

**Hope**

The ancient cell is cold and damp and empty. The dirty floor on which Anko lies is hard, but she does not feel it through her pain. Her whole body aches abominably, and the skin over her neck and shoulders burns as though the fires of Hell have been lit under it.

What is it that they have done to her? She can no longer remember, but she is burdened with a horrible sense of loss. Someone dear has betrayed her…

At the back of the cell, a security camera adjusts its angle slightly, turning toward her face. Anko squeezes her eyes shut against the pain and rolls over, giving them a view of what she calls her "good side." She will be damned if they see her cry.

Between the iron bars in front of her, something glitters. Intrigued, she reaches out and grabs hold of the dry, fragile thing. Holding it up to the paltry light, Anko observes the pattern of scales and smiles.

If a snake can shed its skin, then there is hope for her yet.


	23. Quirk: Kakashi

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: Kakashi was supposed to be one of the first few, but I had writer's block. _

**Quirk **

The winter of the year that Kakashi turns three is a very strange one. Cold air from the northern lands sweeps far to the south, entering Fire Country and touching even Konoha. The mercury falls like a stone thrown into a pond, eventually bottoming out somewhere below freezing, where it stays for more than a week.

Needless to say, the residents of the normally temperate ninja village are quite unprepared. No one has the necessary winter gear, and fewer still have the skills to make it. Kakashi's mother is one of the lucky people, and she proceeds to knit him a scarf.

"Will it snow?" he asks.

"No," his mother replies, wrapping the long black garment around his neck and lower face. She even covers his nose. "There's no moisture in the air, and if you aren't careful, it will dry out your throat and sinuses. You don't want to get sick."

An aversion to illness explains why Kakashi wears the scarf throughout the rest of the frozen week and the remaining mild winter. But no one can explain why he insists on covering his face forever afterward.


	24. Rebel: Asuma

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: Thanks for all the reviews last chapter!_

**Rebel**

Since he was a growing boy, dinner was normally four year old Asuma's favorite time of the day. Except for now, when the fish and barbecue and rice were already eaten, and all that remained were vegetables, pickled and otherwise. Pulling a face at his nearly empty plate, Asuma stares hard at the blank wall in front of him.

"Eat your vegetables, Asuma," his mother reminds him, taking a large bite of her own.

Disgusted, he picks up a carrot stick. Why does he have to eat this stuff? It's rabbit food! Then an idea occurs to him, and he places the stick between two fingers and brings it to his lips, miming a cigarette. This, he decides, is a much better use for the vegetable.

His father's large hand closes around his own. "Quit playing with your dinner."

Asuma decides then that he hates his parents, and vows to run away.

Just a soon as he can lift the bar on the back gate.


	25. Quandary: Kurenai

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: Not crazy about this one..._

**Quandary**

"Hello, Kurenai! I'm your Aunt Kanoko, remember?"

No, three year old Kurenai does not remember this woman who has come to spend the summer with them, the one who is supposed to be her mother's little sister. Lips pursed, she stares blankly with her crimson eyes.

"I came to your birthday last year, and brought you that pretty hairpin?"

Memory returns to her, a vague image of a woman who had looked like this, but… "You got fat."

The lady laughs at that and takes the little girl's hand, guiding it gently to her burgeoning belly. "Yes, I did. I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant?" Kurenai does not know the word's meaning.

"I am going to have a baby, a new little cousin for you to play with. Can you feel her move?"

Kurenai smiles in delight at the strange fluttering sensations under her palm, loves the thought of a younger family member. She decides right then that she will one day be a mother, even if it means looking like you swallowed a watermelon whole.

Now, if only she knew how to get pregnant!


	26. Will: Hanabi

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: Just a general piece about Hanabi. She's a difficult character, and I'm not sure that I like this one._

**Will**

She learned to crawl at a relatively early age, scrunching up her face and pushing herself across the tatami floor until her small knees where scratched and red. Her busy father watched this spectacle with something akin to pride, but the nurse found the child's drive to be worrisome. Unnatural, almost.

Not long after, holding tightly to the edge of a low table, the toddler stood up and met the clear, admiring gazes of her relatives with her own haughty look. The whispers began then, some hopeful while others not: "Maybe this child…"

A few days later, the little firecracker took her first steps, seemingly shuffling hurriedly towards the future and the day when she would take her unworthy older sister's place**.**


	27. Sharks: Itachi and Sasuke

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: Back to the beginning. If I haven't done your favorite character, please know that I am working on it. Also, this one is a little longer than usual._

**Sharks**

Itachi had known better, he really had.

He had been sitting in the family living, looking over his finished homework and minding Sasuke while his mother was out grocery shopping. Everything was nice and calm, at least until the arrival of his cousin Shisui. "Itachi, there's this movie on TV…"

"No," Itachi had said, already knowing what kind of films his older cousin liked to watch. Gory movies that were boring to Itachi himself, and would probably prove damaging to little Sasuke's psyche. "My brother doesn't need to see that."

"We'll have him close his eyes during the scary parts! Please?"

Shisui-- being such a smooth talker-- wore him down over the next twenty minutes, and they spent an hour and a half watching sharks devour people. And now, even though days had passed and they had done a multitude of other things, Sasuke was still scared out of his wits.

Currently, the three were preparing to climb into the tub for a nighttime soak, but naked Sasuke was clinging tightly to Itachi's leg and mumbling something about there being sharks in the water, while Shisui stood back and laughed loudly at the sight.

Itachi gives a long suffering sigh-- he had brought this on himself, after all-- and pats his brother on the head. "If we run into any sharks, I'll beat them up."

At this, Shisui gives another roar of laughter, and Itachi fixes him with a glare. "You'll be lucky if I don't drown you for this."


	28. Shot: Tenten

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: Sorry about the lack of updates. This one is longer than most, but I'm trying to get back into the swing of things._

**Shot**

The last day of summer finds all the waifs of Konoha's orphanage lined up in the courtyard, anxiously awaiting some unknown fate. Speculation runs wild among the group; are they perhaps being adopted? Is it a field trip? When a doctor and two white-clad nurses arrive and make their way to the front of the line, they know that neither is the case.

Five year old Tenten stands roughly in the middle, behind a much taller boy. When the child at the front of the queue begins to wail, her stomach knots fearfully and she tries with no success to see around her male comrade. What are they doing up there?

The line moves forward a little, and Tenten goes with it. Up ahead come the sounds of fighting, of shouting resistance, of sobbing. At one point, she catches a glimpse of a nurse carrying an unconscious older girl away, and her heart begins to pound.

The procession moves ever forward.

Too soon, Tenten finds herself at the front, second only to the tall boy. As she watches, a nurse swabs his arm with something smelly, and the doctor pokes him with a long needle. After a moment, he pulls the instrument free, and the boy goes on his way. There are tears in his eyes.

Now it is her turn, and fear gives way to a strange sense of anticipation.

The nurse smiles kindly and holds out an alcohol soaked cotton swab. "Ready for your flu shot, dear?"

Staring in fascination at the long needle in the doctor's hand, Tenten can only nod. Oddly enough, she has never been so ready for anything in her life.

"Don't worry," the woman tells her. "It won't hurt too badly."

Tenten just holds out her small arm. "It's okay, I won't cry."

And she does not.


	29. Bully: Ino

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: This one isn't that original, but bear with me…_

**Bully**

Ino Yamanaka took a big bite out of her rice ball and chewed it thoughtfully. Today was her first day at school, and already there were so many interesting people to talk to! How cool was that? Just thinking of all her new friends made her smile.

The sound of laughing girls distracts her. Were her fellow students done eating already? Were they playing a game? Curious, she wraps up the remainder of her _bento_ and goes to see.

Rounding a corner of the Academy building, her bright blue eyes fall on a small group of female classmates, all standing in a rough circle. Cruel, off-key singing reaches her ears: _"Fatty, fatty, two by four…"_

Ino is surprised to find that these girls who had been so nice to her are teasing someone, and when she shoulders her way into their midst, she is even more shocked to find out that it is a boy. And one she knows, although not well; Chouji Akimichi, the son of her father's good friend.

Whirling on the other girls, Ino cries out, "Leave him alone!"

Some fall silent, but others just giggle. One asks smugly, "Why should we? He's too fat to be a ninja!"

Ino glares, and points at the rude girl. "He might be fat, but he can exercise and lose weight. You, on the other hand, are ugly. And that's something that can't be fixed."

The homely ringleader runs off sobbing, and her entourage follows her.

Chouji hiccups and wipes his moist eyes. "Thanks."

Ino Yamanaka smiles, and thinks that maybe this friend will be better than the others.


	30. Conundrum: Temari

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

**Conundrum**

Afternoon was two year old Temari's favorite time of day. During this brief period between the consumption of lunch and the washing-up for dinner, baby Kankuro was put down for a much needed nap, and she had her mother all to herself.

"Baby, can you please hand me that?"

They are arranging flowers-- a suitable occupation for her pregnant mother, at least according to her Kazekage father-- in one of the residence's cool, cavernous sitting rooms. Temari's bright eyes fall upon the various flora spread across the low table, and she points to one pink blossom. "This one, Mama?"

Karuru smiles. "No, honey, pass me the one next to it."

Temari snatches eagerly at the pale yellow rose lying halfway across the table, crushing the stem into her hand before her mother can warn her. One sharp thorn pierces her tiny palm; she yelps and lets go, and three tiny red droplets fall to the table.

"Oh! Sweetheart, are you okay?"

Temari does not answer, merely sits entranced by the sight of the rose and the blood. How could something so pretty be so dangerous?


	31. Criminals: Sannin

_Naruto_© Masashi Kishimoto.

**Criminals**

"What are you two doing?"

"Hey, Tsunade," Jiraiya chuckles nervously. "Um, me and Snake-Boy here are gonna go see a movie."

The young kunoichi arches an eyebrow. "A movie? Really? Then why are you two hiding in an alley?"

"We're not hiding," the white-haired boy protests. "We're… getting into character."

"You're impossible," the girl mutters, before turning to her other teammate. "What does he mean, Orochimaru?"

"The movie is rated too high for us." The pale boy weaves a few hand-signs, and there is a loud _poof._A moment later, a non-descript man of about thirty stands before her. "We have to infiltrate the theater."

"You're kidding me."

Jiraiya follows Orochimaru's lead, transforming himself into an adult. "Nope. You wanna come?"

Tsunade frowns at the disguised pair. "No. You're going to get caught."

The man who is not Jiraiya grins. "Chicken. What if I dared you to?"

"We're going to be late," not-Orochimaru murmurs.

"I'm going home," Tsunade states, turning to leave.

Not-Jiraiya begins clucking like a chicken.

Tsunade swings around. "Fine! I'll come! But only so I can see you fail!" Presently, she too transforms into a middle-aged man.

Five minutes later, much to the kunoichi's surprise, they have successfully bought three tickets and entered the darkened theater. They are barely ten years old, and it is the first time they have ever broken the law.

As they take their seats, Tsunade leans in close to Jiraiya. "And what prohibited film are we here to see?"

Her boisterous teammate is suddenly overcome with laughter.

Orochimaru leans over and whispers an answer into her ear.

"What?! You brought me to see a porno?!"


	32. Eggs: Neji

_Naruto _© Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: To anyone following _The Hardest Journey_, I was researching that story when this popped into my mind. So this gets an update, and that gets saved for another day. Sorry!_

**Eggs**

They are in the bathroom one night, scrubbing the grime from themselves before a soak in the tub. Hizashi, sitting on the small stool, is patiently lathering up his tiny son's long hair while the boy dabbles his toes in the water dripping down the drain in front of them. Suddenly, the child pipes up, "I want a baby brother."

Startled, Hizashi loses his grasp on the bottle of shampoo, and it clatters loudly on the tile floor. "Where did you get that idea?"

Neji watches the suds float off the bottle and just manages to sound indignant. "Cousin Hiroshi just got a new brother. I want one, too!"

Hizashi looks somewhat embarrassed and almost pained. "I'm very sorry, Neji, but you cannot have a baby brother."

The small dark head turns around, and large white eyes swing up toward his father's face. "Why?" he asks solemnly. "Are they expensive?"

"No! Well, actually yes. But that isn't the reason." The Hyuga takes a deep breath before continuing on. "You see, Neji, to have a baby, we need an egg. And only women have eggs."

"Oh." This makes sense to the young Neji, who remembers with little sadness that his mother has gone to _A Better Place. _Hence, no eggs. "That's okay, then."

Hizashi nods, just relieved that the conversation is over.

The next morning though, a grinning Neji presents his father with the boiled egg saved from his nursery breakfast.


	33. Nursing: Sakura

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

**Nursing**

Mr. Haruno was in the living room, hanging photographs upon the beige colored walls for his wife. To most, it would have been obvious that the man was no handy-man- he gripped the hammer too tightly, missed the nail often, and usually drove the said metal in at an odd angle. To Sakura though, he was her father, and he was busy working very hard at something that looked very dangerous.

"Daddy, please be careful."

Mr. Haruno glanced down at his tiny daughter, standing quietly next to his stepladder. "It's okay, Sweetheart. Daddy just has to hang this last one and then we'll play."

Sakura nods and watches as the man rears back and promptly hammers the thumb that is holding the nail to the wall. The string of expletives that follow- most almost muffled for the sake of the child's ears- are funny to listen to.

But as her father sinks down onto the stool cradling the red appendage in his other hand, Sakura realizes that he is really hurt. She quickly disappears down the hall, returning with a small pink bandage that does not quite fit around his thumb. A light peck from her tiny lips- kissing it better- completes the nursing.

"Does it still hurt?"

Mr. Haruno blinks tears out of the corners of his eyes. "Not at all, Baby," he lies. "Not at all."


	34. Rejection: Shino

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's note: I am working on my other stories, I promise. I just need a break from all the angst._

**Rejection**

Shino's first love is his next door neighbor. She is a pretty girl from the Inuzuka clan, the same age as him, with bobbed auburn hair and the brightest green eyes. Her blushing cheeks have yet to receive the fang markings common to most of her family, and her smile is nearly perfect- one baby tooth has fallen out on the side, but this does not detract from the whole. Shino thinks that she looks like an angel.

One day in late spring, Shino works up the courage to crawl through a hole that her fluffy little dog has dug under the garden wall separating the two yards. After her initial surprise wears off, they spend the rest of the afternoon playing together; Shino shows her his beetle collection, and she shows him all the tricks that her dog know, from "Fetch" to "Speak." They have a great time together.

As the sun sinks to the west, Shino slides back under the wall for dinner, promising to return.

The next morning though, the little girl meets him at the hole. Her green eyes are full of tears, and her tiny dog stands growling at her side, barring his way. "I'm sorry, Shino. My parents say that I can't play with you anymore."

It is his first rejection. "Why?"

"You gave my dog fleas."


	35. Whirlpool: Naruto

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: Just dipping my toes in after _THJ_… Not really sure about the ending to this one._

**Whirlpools**

Bath nights at the Uzumaki kid's apartment were always a trying affair; often, the child would be so worked up afterwards that he would refuse to go to sleep. In desperation, the jonin attending him that evening added a hefty dose of lavender oil to the water, quickly filling the bathroom with the sweet and supposedly calming scent.

It also created suds, which three year old Naruto was completely delighted with. The little boy spent an hour in the tub- much to the jonin's annoyance- building castles, creating a beard, sailing his yellow rubber ducky through the white foam, and just generally screaming his head off.

Finally, unable to take the noise bouncing off the tiles any longer, the man had strode into the room and pulled the plug to the drain. The water became a maelstrom, whirling away down the metal pipes in a display that proved mesmerizing to the child, at last quieting him where the lavender had failed.

As the jonin- an admirer of the Fourth Hokage- lifts the nodding child from the tub, he has to ask himself:

What is it with the Namikaze males, that they should find whirlpools so attractive?


	36. Valentine: Kiba

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: Ah! I've resorted to a holiday fic! I thought it was too perfect, though…_

**Valentine**

The fourteenth day of February was like any another in the shinobi world, save inside the Konoha Ninja Academy, where the innocent young students took to the holiday with gusto, at least when their teachers were not around to put a stop to their foolish shenanigans.

Sitting in the weak winter sunlight during lunch, first year student Kiba Inuzuka could hear the girls talking even without the super auditory techniques his mother was teaching him. Mostly they were giggling loudly, asking one another about the gifts they planned to give to their crush.

As one girl unwrapped a piece of shiny foil, revealing the thin brown bars hidden beneath, Kiba's sensitive nose began to pick up the delectable smell- a combination of ingredients like milk and rich, sweet cocoa. The aroma was mouthwatering, and he had to wipe his lips- Mom said it was impolite to drool- before turning to face his classmates. "Can I have one of those?"

The group of girls eyed him warily- he had sharp teeth, after all- before one stepped forward. "I'm sorry, but chocolate is bad for dogs."


	37. Dispute: Naruto vs Sasuke

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

**Dispute**

"And our last pairing will be Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki. You two will present your report on the history of our village's police force next Monday."

Horrorstruck by teacher's words, the eight year-olds glare at one another from across the room.

"Why am I with stuck with you?" Naruto wails, drawing the attention of every student present.

Sasuke's retort is sharper than the shuriken they have just recently begun to practice with. "Because our last names start with the same letter, dummy."

Naruto crosses his arms and crinkles his eyes angrily. "So? That's a stupid reason, and this is a bogus assignment! Why can't I be with Sakura?"

The girl in question blanches.

Sasuke begins closing the distance between them, hands shoved in his pockets. "I'm not going to fail, understand? So just shut up and do what I say."

"No! Who died and made you Hokage?"

The ensuing fight is all too brief, and they both get detention. But Naruto thinks that the punishment was worth it.


	38. Artistry: Sai

_Naruto_ © Masashi Kishimoto.

_Author's notes: Finally, a character I haven't done! _

**Artistry**

The blank walls of the long hallway stretch out before him and- whiter even than his own skin- they prove too enticing a canvas for the little boy. Taking a handful of crayons from his bulging pocket, he reaches as high as he can and scores a long, rainbow line down towards the linoleum floor.

How interesting! A moment later, the multicolored rays are joined by an orange spiral and two humanoid figures of blue and green. The child stares hard at these strangely hued people, imagines them dancing with joy at the sight of his lovely artistic creation.

Slowly, they begin to shimmer into life-

Before falling flat at the annoyed voice of one of the orphanage's caretakers. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

A picture might be worth a thousand words, but the nameless boy knows that he is in trouble and can only think of one: "Nothing."


End file.
